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this will be new for me and i'm not really sure that i can open up to a complete stranger. i don't think i have any issues discussing the "facts", such as my HIV status, but talking about emotions is another matter. i tend to put on my happy face but think this would not be too productive, especially with a phyciatrist.hope she is good and makes it easier for me.

i just got back from my appointment and it went great!(no sofa, but 2 comphy chairs to choose from

she recognized me from work. (i have bearly worked the past 5 years) (self-employeed retail business that my hubby now runs) i didn't remember her. (brain fog)

she couldn't have made me feel more comfortable. yeah!

it was just a first visit, but i am encouraged that she will provide the help i need.

funny, but true:when i got home i called her and left a message on her voicemail with the phone # of another one of my docs. i thanked her again and said "see you next tuesday".(my next appointment) OOPS! hope she didn't catch that.

If you are seeing a psychiatrist I wouldnt expect too much talk therapy. Psychiatrists are usually clinical and interested in prescribing and monitoring medication.

Psychologists or Therapists usually engage in talk therapy, discussing your feelings and such, and is more apt to having a compfy couch to relax on.

This is not a good summary. There are plenty of M.D. shrinks who do talk therapy. Whether one person's insurance wants to pay for talk therapy is another matter. I have on and off seen M.D. shrinks for years. 70's. 80's. 2000. and now 10's. In three different countries. I have never found that there are no shrinks who do talk therapy. Sometimes there are not ENOUGH shrinks doing talk therapy, to meet the needs of a certain population. Also, many American insurance plans want nothing to do with paying shrinks for talk therapy.

Logged

“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Mitch, glad you took the step to see someone, after realizing it would be beneficial. And, I'm glad it went well.

I think I was more at ease to discuss being gay and poz, because my therapist is also gay and has been seeing poz patients since the 80's. I think I would actually like to sprawl out on the couch, but he has this antique couch that is not very comfy..lol.

My advice would be to use this time to talk about everything you want to talk about, and even the things you don't. We often don't want to burden our friends and family with this stuff. And, we don't want to seem like the world revolves around us, because it doesn't. So, your therapy time is the time to have the world revolve around you. I mean, unless a person already has an issue of being narcissistic.

Another bit of advice would be to not leave out details. If there is some issue that you have fault in, acknowledge that. I've learned to do that. By examining things that I've done that may have contributed to an argument or distance with a loved one, I learn how I can hopefully change my behavior--even with very difficult people. There was also a defining event in my life that I was too embarrassed to talk about. It was only after several visits that I finally brought it up. I finally decided that this event has had such an impact on my life, and makes up a big part of my problems, that it would be unfortunate not to discuss it.

I know many of us go to discuss being poz and all that comes with that, but I've realized there are other topical things that come up that I would like to discuss. At this point, I need to get back to the poz issue, because I have gotten side tracked with other issues. Well, side tracked with other important issues.

Hi!Im so glad that you took this step.I find that its easier to talk to someone who is not part of the family......When we bury thoughts they never go away, when we talk to someone....its a relief......all this from me....I said that i would never do it and i did!